worst instructional DVD I have ever seen

[lotus]

I know, they say 'judge not lest ye be judged'...

but this ripoff of a video is so bad, I am utterly aghast. I got this at Ross, titled "Belly Dance for Beginners". the hostess is a fitenss expert named Denise Druce. There are so many things wrong with this video that it's hard to know where to start. Oh, wait - maybe with the fact that the woman named on the boxcover is not actually in the instructional portion.

Actually the real red flag comes when the instruction begins, and the 'instructor' is wearing what appears to be black Reeboks, while the backup dancer on the left is in a button-down black shirt and black chinos like a waiter at Pasta Pomodoro. the entire video is only 31 minutes long. In this magic carpet ride, you learn:

• how to do an "isolated hip"...while bouncing up and down and locking the opposing knee into what appears to be a hyperextension
  
• "step touch" - walking forward
  
• a move that looks like you're losing tug-of-war
  
• a move that looks like you're training at a punching bag. wave fists on outward circles at face-level while doing a paddle turn and wagging a$$ around with a crunched lower back
  
• a flail which vaguely approximates snakearms as done by a person in a straitjacket

I've never bashed a dvd online before, but this was terrible. I'm really mad I can't return it and get my six dollars back. Even six bucks was way too much for this garbage.

[Bellydancefanatic]

Wow, that sucks! I get DVDs at Ross occasionally too (Ross Dress for Less, is that where you're talking about?), and have seen that one before. I usually am very picky about bellydance DVDs, and that one stood out. I don't see why you can't return it. What's their return policy in your area?

[lotus]

hmm, well I guess I just assumed that since I have used it, it would be unreturnable? You have to break to plastic seal to open the case, etc. I should check the receipt.

[Miss_Fiona]

May have been well worth the $6 for its comedic value - sounds so absurd that even GP would find it ridiculous! Put in the DVD player as a conversation piece while you're opening the wine and having a couple of dance buddies over!

[kina]

is it worse than.... say..... Janine Rabbitt?

[donnadiva]

Originally Posted by kina

is it worse than.... say..... Janine Rabbitt?

Funny you should mention that one. I thought I got rid of my copy long ago at the last yard sale. Then just this a.m. as I'm leaving for work (gasp!) it's on my dining table!! Asking hubby where it came from, and he said he found it in a box in his garage. Yikes!! She's baaaaaccckkkk!!!

[*Shira*]

Congratulations! You now have a start on creating your very own excremental video collection.

Look at it this way - it will bring much entertainment to your next video party! I find that excremental videos are kind of addictive - they really are a lot of fun!

[sumayasaahir]

what a shocker that must have been!

Originally Posted by donnadiva

Funny you should mention that one. I thought I got rid of my copy long ago at the last yard sale. Then just this a.m. as I'm leaving for work (gasp!) it's on my dining table!! Asking hubby where it came from, and he said he found it in a box in his garage. Yikes!! She's baaaaaccckkkk!!!

[sabrinabellydancer]

Originally Posted by lotus

[*]a flail which vaguely approximates snakearms as done by a person in a straitjacket[/list]

omg u r 2 funny! no wonder it was at a clearance store
thanks for the warning.

[dunyah]

I got one by Amira Mor at Ross for about that price. I was curious about her since she's rather well known. I pretty much hated it. Not that I actually tried following along, but the whole presentation left me cold. It was filmed in a gym, you can see guys on exercise bikes watching the class through a window. And she struts around yelling like some hideous aerobics instructor. She didn't wear athletic shoes, though. I don't think I could bear to dance along with someone yelling at me like that. I plan to save it for "video night" though.

Her dancing was proficient, I suppose, but her whole vibe was soulless, I thought. Cold and a bit mechanical, or something. It put me off. Way off. The energy she was projecting was kind of gross somehow.

OTH, I found Sarah Skinner's I Love Turkish Belly Dance at the same time and I really like that one. Although it was more like "New York Turkish-Style" rather than "ethnic" Turkish people dancing Turkish style, I still liked it very much. It was well done, the costume workshop was really fun, and she presents herself as a classy dancer. There was obviously a lot more time, effort and caring put into the production of this video than of the other one.

[anala]

I got the rabbitt (the video) I keep stuff like that in my lending library to show people what not to do...

[donnadiva]

Originally Posted by *Shira*

Congratulations! You now have a start on creating your very own excremental video collection.

Look at it this way - it will bring much entertainment to your next video party! I find that excremental videos are kind of addictive - they really are a lot of fun!

Actually, I have an entire collection of excremental videos. Unfortunately, many of them are of, uh, me.

[Azhia]

I'm sure we all have some blackmail material somewhere!

I was just about say something about Janine Rabbitt (bless her heart)...

[da Sage]

Originally Posted by dunyah

I got one by Amira Mor at Ross for about that price. I was curious about her since she's rather well known. I pretty much hated it. Not that I actually tried following along, but the whole presentation left me cold. It was filmed in a gym, you can see guys on exercise bikes watching the class through a window. And she struts around yelling like some hideous aerobics instructor. She didn't wear athletic shoes, though. I don't think I could bear to dance along with someone yelling at me like that. I plan to save it for "video night" though.

Her dancing was proficient, I suppose, but her whole vibe was soulless, I thought. Cold and a bit mechanical, or something. It put me off. Way off. The energy she was projecting was kind of gross somehow.

I bought Amira Mor's sword balancing DVD at Ross, and I liked it - and her. It's not really a beginner DVD, though...not everything is broken down. That's OK...at the beginning of the video, it says you should have purchased and practiced all NINE of her previous DVDs before attempting this one! Too bad that wasn't written on the outside of the box!

Anyway, while Amira Mor is kind of show-girly, I liked the video better than Princess Farhana's Basic Bellydance (which I also bought at Ross). I'd heard a lot of positive buzz about Princess Farhana; her video performance didn't meet my expectations, although the instruction part was OK. I guess I prefer a slicker presentation.

[shaynaz]

i havent seen the janine rabbit one but everyone says that one is horrible! ive seen some pretty bad ones! actually sold one to shira! thank you for taking that one off my hands! it was a video by some Dr. in florida...i cant even remember the name of it.

another video that is on the bottom is bellydance for wimps.

[meissoun]

The ratings for several of Denise's DVDs on amazon say it all...

Amazon.com: Denise Druce: DVD

MEISSOUN

[jahbie]

Originally Posted by donnadiva

Actually, I have an entire collection of excremental videos. Unfortunately, many of them are of, uh, me.

Snap!!

[gloworm25]

C'mon girls, you haven't lived til you've seen Estelles. We really need the throwing up smiley.

[LauraLevana]

I'd never heard of Janine Rabbitt, so I was curious and found this on Amazon:

Inspiring, 16 April 2007
By Rae Simms - See all my reviews

I spontaneously purchased this video in the year 1994 while looking for fitness videos to slim my waistline. It was inspiring. I had thought that being middle-aged and bearing children I was too old to learn bellydancing. Janine readily admitted that she was an enthusiastic beginner. She broke the movements into simple steps. The quality of video for 1994 was good. It is a fun & helpful video.


I'm thinking of buying some of these for sheer entertainment value! I envision a girl's night when all your friends bring some dog of an instructional video in a variety of styles (Someone absolutely must bring Denise Druce's "Cowboy Cardio!") and everyone drinks wine and then dances along!